Are bees aware about the consequences of using their stinger on a large target? Consequently, are they aware that stinging smaller animals won’t cause them to die?

Question

Do they instinctively “know” they will die by stinging a human?

In: Biology

Answer 1

Individual insects don’t have an ego they way mammals do. They have evolved to ensure the survival of the hive. So the concept of “I’m sacrificing myself for the good of the colony” wouldn’t be in the thought process. They react instinctively to threats, even if it means the individual will die, because doing so has assured their survival for hundreds of millions of years.